Nairobi — The Kakamega tropical rain forest has now been gazetted as a national reserve. Tourists visiting it will now have to pay entry fees.

At the same time, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has, for the first time in five years, reviewed its entry fees to all national parks, game reserves and other tourist sites.

KWS has hiked the charges by between 50 and 150 per cent. In some parks, entrance fees has been raised by over 150 per cent, which particularly affects Kenyan residents who are not citizens.

However, adult Kenyan citizens visiting national reserves and game parks will continue paying the usual Sh100 per person.

But Kenyan children (aged 3 to 18) will have to pay Sh50 per head up from Sh25 when visiting Aberdares, Amboseli and Lake Nakuru national parks. The same applies to students and organised groups.

In a circular released by the KWS Director Michael Wamithi, adult foreign tourists on a visit to the Kakamega National Reserve will now be charged 15 USD while children, students and organised groups will pay 5 dollars per person.